The Studio Episode 1 Discussion

Me: Dang... that's an excellent example of the dangers of a Brand Name and loss of rights to it due to common usage.

Pete: While the phrase "drinking the Kool-Aid" has become a common idiom to describe unquestioning loyalty, the reality of the Jonestown tragedy is that the cyanide-laced drink was Flavor-Aid, a less expensive powdered drink mix.

Many reports and popular culture references mistakenly use "Kool-Aid," but evidence from the scene, including boxes of Flavor-Aid, and statements from survivors and investigators, confirm it was Flavor-Aid that was used. It was mixed with potassium cyanide and various tranquilizers.

Me: Dang... that's an excellent example of the dangers of a Brand Name and loss of rights to it due to common usage.

Pete: Indeed, it's a fascinating and tragic example of how a brand name can become so ingrained in common language that it eclipses the actual product involved, even in the context of such a horrific event.

This phenomenon is known as genericide, or proprietary eponym. It happens when a brand name becomes so widely used to refer to a general type of product or service that it loses its distinctiveness as a brand and becomes a generic term. Think of "Band-Aid" for adhesive bandages, "Kleenex" for facial tissues, or "Xerox" for photocopying.

While in some cases genericide can be a sign of a brand's immense success, for the brand owner, it's often a significant concern. Once a brand name becomes generic, the company can lose its exclusive rights to it, meaning competitors can then use the same term, potentially diluting the original brand's market position and value. Companies often go to great lengths to prevent this, through advertising campaigns reminding consumers of their brand's uniqueness and by actively pursuing legal action against those who use their brand name generically.

In the case of "Kool-Aid" and Jonestown, it's an even more somber twist because the product itself was not Kool-Aid, yet the brand name became inextricably linked to the tragedy in the public consciousness. This association, while stemming from a misunderstanding, has undoubtedly become a permanent part of the Kool-Aid brand's cultural legacy, despite their lack of involvement.